Nightmare
by ShadowShinigamiWolf
Summary: Slight Zoethian! Future Fic! Ian was haunted by nightmares ever since he was a small boy. So why is this one different? He struggles to find the meaning to the most recent nightmare. Add hitting puberty and suddenly having feeling for his best friend... Yeah, this is going to be fun. (This story is also an adventure, but I can only put two genres, so...) Cover art by me.
1. Prologue, Zoeya's POV

_**Revisited on 6/5/13**_

* * *

A woman awoke to a loud clap of thunder with her partner's arms wrapped around her waist. She snuggled deeper into his chest with a light sigh. The aforementioned man shifted in his sleep from the woman's movements. He rested his head on top of hers and rubbed her arm in patternless swirls.

They listened to the sound of the storm together, simply enjoying the company of each other. After hardships in the past, most of which due to being separated from each other, they learned to enjoy everything while it lasted and take nothing for granted. A gentle knock from the door snapped them out of their thoughts, she turned her head to look at the source of the noise.

A blob of fiery red hair caught her eye as a creak was heard from the door, at this point her love also looked up. The tiny face of a child peeked out from behind the now open wooden door. She sat up in bed and motioned for the boy to come over to the bedside. The child walked further into the room, stopping next to her. The woman picked him up and held him in a hug.

"What's wrong, Ian?" She asked gently.

The boy's purple eyes widened as he whimpered. "I had a nightmare, Mommy."

With a small frown, she hugged him a bit tighter.

"You know nightmares aren't real." The woman comforted the boy, who slowly nodded his head.

"Do you want to tell us about it? It might help." The man asked, who by now had sat up in bed.

The boy lifted his head up. "M-Monsters… Tall, b-black, and… p-purple." Ian stuttered, earning a frown and a look of deep thought to appear on the man.

The woman hesitated as she struggled to think of something to say. "It was only a dream though…"

"Zoey…" The man began, but a look from the woman silenced him.

"Dad?" Ian asked, worry evident on his face. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing kiddo." He sighed, trying to give a reassuring smile.

It must've worked, because Ian soon nodded and yawned. Zoey rubbed the boy's back. Ian's heavy eyelids closed and he drifted off to sleep.

"We'll have to tell him at some point, Rythian…" She whispered, as not to wake Ian.

The man sighed and laid back down. "I know, but for now let's just go to sleep."

Zoey put the sleeping boy in-between them and laid back down as well. Before she dozed back to sleep she heard Rythian whisper.

"Goodnight, Zoey."


	2. Prologue, Ian's POV

_**I plan on making a story with Ian in it, along with a few more next gen. characters :P**_

* * *

Ian woke up in some sort of field, only it was made of a weird white stone and there was no grass. It was dark out and he didn't remember how he had gotten here. So he did what every normal four-year-old would do, panic.

"Mommy? Daddy?" He called out. No response.

He heard a sound he recognized as static from when his Mommy worked in her lab coming from behind him. Ian turned around to be met with a tall, thin, solid black… monster. He had to crane his neck up to look into its eyes. He wished he didn't, though.

The moment his eyes met the others, he barely noticed it was the same shade of purple as his and his Daddy's eyes, before the static got unbearably loud. He whimpered as he shut his eyes and clamped his hands over his ears.

He felt the monster's claws rake across his chest and he cried out in pain. He fell to the ground and hugged his knees, cringing from the monster. A series of slashes from what he thought was more then one of those black monsters followed.

"DADDY!" Ian yelled as loud as his little lungs could muster.

The attacks stopped and he looked up. The monsters parted to reveal a man whose very being there made Ian's heart swell with hope. He started to work his way over to the man, the cuts starting to take their toll.

When he reached him, he hugged the man's leg. "Daddy…" He mumbled.

"Rythian…" One of the monsters growled.

"I don't have a son." The man, known as Rythian, kicked Ian away.

Ian's heart shattered at hearing this, and he started to cry. He looked up through eyes blurry with tears.

"Kill him." His father muttered to one of the monsters, his eyes glowing a vibrant purple.

-SSW-

Ian woke with his heart hammering away in his chest so bad he thought it would burst. He looked around. _Still in my room…_ He thought to himself. A loud clap of thunder startled him.

He laid back down and tried to go back to sleep, but the haunting memory of the nightmare kept him awake. After an extremely loud clap of thunder, followed by the room being lit up with the lightning outside, he hesitantly got out of bed.

Walking down the hall to his parents' bedroom, he stopped and gently knocked on the door. Ian waited a few seconds before slowly peeking his head inside the room.

His fiery-haired mother was sitting up in bed and motioned for him to come to her. He walked over to the side of the bed and she picked him up, putting him on the bed in front of her.

"What's wrong, Ian?" She asked.

He whimpered as he remembered the monsters. "I had a nightmare, Mommy."

His mother hugged him tightly. "You know nightmares aren't real."

He slowly nodded his head in agreement.

By now his father had sat up. "Do you want to tell us about it? It might help." He asked, a sympathetic look on his face.

Ian didn't want to tell them that it was his father, so he just told them half of scared him. "Monsters… Tall and black and… purple" He recalled in a mumble. Ian thought he saw his father frown at this.

"It was only a dream though…" His mother comforted.

"Zoey…" Ian's father began, but stopped when his mother gave him a slight glare.

"Daddy? What's wrong?" Ian asked. He was worried about his father, who seemed unsettled about the monsters from his nightmare.

"Nothing, kiddo." His father sighed, smiling.

Ian yawned, causing his mother to rub his back soothingly. His eyes closed and he drifted off to sleep. The nightmares didn't come again that night.


	3. The Start of An Adventure

_**I know people usually don't like reading this, so I'm gonna make this short. Welp, thing is, I finally got my shiz together and I'm ready to continue this story! Hooray! Hope you'll forgive me for lack of updating, so to make you all happy, I made this chapter extra long- roughly 6 pages in Works. Also keep in mind that these are FICTIONAL CHARACTERS I'm using, it's awkward to write this kinda thing about people IRL.  
**_

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Ian ran through a fiery hell he knew as the Nether. The fumes of fire taking its toll on his lungs and the bubbling of lava all but a distant sound. The being was chasing him, and quickly closing the gap between them.

He heard the sound of fireballs before he felt them. A crashing weight blew into his back, burning into his flesh. He screamed in pain and fell forwards. He lay on the warm Nether-rack, panting heavily as the being caught up to him.

He felt something grab him by his collar and he was raised up, only to be met with the soulless eyes of a zombie pigman. The pigman turned him around so he was facing the being, who was silent the entire time, and kept him firmly in place.

_Don't go down without a fight… _His father's words echoed in his mind. He elbowed the zombie pigman in the gut, momentarily loosening his grip on Ian's arm.

He pulled forward and swung his leg into a high kick. The pigman went down to the ground and Ian went to begin his reign of punches, before he felt a burning hand clamp on the base of his neck.

He sucked in a cry of pain. The hand turned him around to face it's owner. Another hand joined the other and rose him up high. He stared down at the being, who was nothing but a floating skull and hands, lit alight with rods rotating around it.

The being brought him closer. Ian felt sweat begin to run down his temple.

"It… has… begun." The blaze hissed, before things went black.

-SSW-

A 14 year-old Ian bolted upright in bed. He was soaked in his own sweat and the pillow was across the room on the floor. He shakily inhaled and tried to catch his escaping breath.

He turned and got out of bed, the blood leaving his head instantly. He stood for a moment in order to gain his balance back, then headed to the door. He opened it quietly and slowly walked out into the hallway. He ventured down the stairs and to the front door. Ian sighed as fresh air hit his face.

He padded over to the lake and sat on his knees. Scooping up some water his hands, he splashed his face. He also drank some as well, enjoying the sensation as it cooled his parched throat.

_Another nightmare…_ He thought as he stared up at the moon. He smiled glumly. _It was more vivid then normal. And what did the blaze mean 'It has begun'? Doesn't matter anyways, it was just a nightmare after all._

Ian took one more glance up at the starry sky before turning and going back to bed.

-SSW-

"Brother! Wake up!" A girls voice woke Ian from his slumber.

In the doorway stood his little sister, Jane, who was roughly five years younger them him. He groaned and covered his face with the blanket.

She laughed. "Breakfast is ready. Better hurry if you don't want it to be cold."

He sat up and yawned. "Alright. Alright. I'll be down in a minute."

Jane nodded and left, leaving him sitting still half-asleep. He got up with much effort, seeing as his warm bed called for him to return.

He quickly changed into his usual attire, a purple T-Shirt with a white hoodie and a pair of faded jeans, before going downstairs.

Ian chatted with his family while he ate pancakes and some bacon. His mother refused to cook the bacon, seeing as she was a vegetarian, so his father was left with the task.

After saying goodbye, he left his home, AKA Blackrock Stronghold, using his flying ring. He laughed as he did tricks and loops in the sky on his way to his destination. Eventually seeing a wooden house hidden away in a forest, he slowed down. Landing outside he walked up to the door and knocked three times. A tall man with dark brown hair answered the door. The man's blue eyes seemed to glow as they drilled into Ian's purple ones. He knew this man as Xephos, a man from the stars.

"Stelle! Your friends here!" He called over his shoulder. The man stared him down again, before a woman appeared behind him.

She had shoulder-length blonde hair, blue eyes, and an owl on her shoulder. "Ian! It's good to see you." She smiled warmly. He knew this woman as Lomadia, the owl-lover/expert.

"Well don't just stand there. Come inside." She ushered him in. Xephos closed the door behind them.

He sat down on the couch and waited for Stelle to show herself. Xephos and Lomadia had left the room and he sat there in silence.

A sharp pain hit his head and his hand grabbed his head. He felt a blistering heat build under his hand and had to move it away from his temple. _Soon…_ Something hissed into his ear. As soon as everything began, it ended.

A girl around his age walked into the room. She had dark brown hair with a blonde highlight and blue eyes that also seemed to glow. A tail trailed behind her, golden in color with a brown tip.

"Ian!" She gave him a hug, quickly breaking away before it got awkward.

"Hey Stelle." Ian returned the greeting.

"I'm leaving!" Stelle called to her parents. They acknowledged and she turned to the door.

She put on her own flying ring and they took to the skies. They flew over a lake when Stelle asked. "So what are we going to do today?"

"I kinda want to just swim in the lake today." Ian stated, staring down at the large body of liquid below.

"Sounds like fun! It shouldn't bother my parents if I come home wet." Stelle laughed slightly.

Ian grinned, diving towards the beach, stopping at the last minute. He landed on the ground and was shortly followed by Stelle. He pulled off his hoodie and threw it on the sand.

Stelle flew a few feet in the air before free-falling into the water. Ian winced. _That looked like it hurt._ The tailed girl's head broke the surface of the water and she grinned at him.

"Try it!" She challenged.

Ian smirked. _A challenge, huh?_ He flew up high into the air and stared down at Stelle. He deactivated the ring and fell. Closing his eyes he sighed. Upon opening his eyes, he realized how close the water was and the position he was in.

He splashed into the water and his whole front side instantly began to sting horribly. Ian swam up and gasped. "Belly flop."

Stelle burst out laughing and he eventually joined in. Their laughter subsided into fits of giggles, until fading away. They stared at each other before she reared her arm back.

She splashed a large wave of water at him, causing him to grin. "Your on." He said as he sent a splash her way.

After a long day of goofing around in the water, Ian and Stelle waded towards the beach. They flopped down on the still-warm sand and rolled onto their backs. They stared at the sky for awhile, until the sun had sunk below the horizon.

"I should head home, or else my dad will get worried." Stelle said, leaning up. A large gust of wind caused her to shiver. "Guess we still aren't dry enough." She muttered.

Without thinking, Ian grabbed his hoodie, which he never bothered to put back on. "Here." He offered.

She took it from him and put it on quickly as to hide her small blush. "Thanks."

"No problem." Ian said with a smile, not noticing the blush of his best friend.

The jacket was too big for Stelle, she had to keep pushing up the sleeves and the hoodie reached down to her mid-thigh. All in all, Ian thought she looked cute in his white hoodie.

_Wait, cute…? When did I think that of her?_ Ian thought surprised.

He'd never thought of Stelle in that way before. Looking at her again, he noticed the way her hair fell just below her shoulders. The blonde streak in the front stood out, even though her hair was damp, making her hair darker.

"Beautiful…" Ian mumbled. His eyes widened when he realized what he said, causing him to blush.

"Uh… Thanks." Stelle's face was as red he imagined his would be. "We should get going now." She said, activating her flying ring.

"Yeah." He agreed, following her into the sky.

They flew in slightly awkward silence the whole way. Arriving at Stelle's house, Ian landed, followed by Stelle.

"Welp. Here ya are." Ian muttered. Stelle nodded and walked up to the door.

"See you tomorrow?" She asked.

"Yeah, of course." He smiled, giving her a small wave.

Before Stelle could open the door however, her father opened it for her.

"Stelle! Your home late. What happened?" Xephos asked. "And why are you wearing his jacket?"

"We were swimming, I got cold, and we stayed out a bit late. Sorry, Dad…" Stelle explained.

Xephos sighed. "Your mother and I were just worried. That's all. Let's go inside." Turning to him he spoke. "Bye, Ian."

He waved again as they went inside. He was halfway back to Blackrock until he realized she kept his jacket. _It doesn't matter, I'll get it tomorrow or something_. Ian thought.

He flew up high and did a loop, followed by a dive-bomb. A single silhouette flying in front of the full moon, doing tricks as he saw fit. Laughing filled the silence, it didn't even matter if anything was funny, Ian was having the time of his life.

_I love flying… _He thought as he stared at the bright orb in the night sky.


	4. Heritage

_**I'd like to thanks all the people who review/favorite/follow this story. Please note that the more reviews I get, the faster I'll update, I also just love to read them :) BTW this story has my Headcanons in it, explaining why Stelle had a tail. I'm also sorry this is so short, I have to leave very soon. But hey, it's quality not quantity right? **_

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Ian's eyes fluttered open. He sucked in a breath and looked around him. He lay on an island of obsidian, floating in the void. _What… _Ian's thought was cut short when two figures appeared in front of him.

"Welcome." The Enderman grunted.

"Yes… Welcome" The Blaze echoed with a hiss.

"Where am I?" Ian asked, jumping into a defensive stance.

"Where do you think?" The Blaze snapped.

"Calm down, Luce." The Enderman spoke.

"Whatever." Luce looked away.

"What do you want?" Ian questioned, glancing between the two.

"We mean no harm, Ian." The Enderman attempted to calm the red-haired boy.

Ian didn't relax, he still didn't trust these two mobs.

"My name is Scuro." The Enderman introduced himself. "Luce and myself are a part of your subconscious mind. We're personifications of your bloodline, so to speak."

Luce sighed at his hesitation. "Basically we're your blood and live in your dreams." He said it as if Ian was an idiot.

"But I'm human." Ian replied with confusion in his voice, dropping his guard.

Luce scoffed. "Well your parents never did tell you."

"Tell me what?" Ian asked, but after he said it, he realized what they were implying. "I'm not a Blaze! Or an Enderman! I'm just human…" Ian trailed off.

_It's just a dream. It's just a dream. _Ian thought repeatedly.

"It's not a dream." Scuro said, his voice low.

Ian eyes widen. _How…?_

"Have you been listening you stupid boy?" Luce yelled, his flames flaring up. "We are a part of _you_, we know everything about you because we were there to experience it!"

Ian stayed silent as the Blaze caught his breath, fire slowly fading away as quickly as it came. _Why didn't they tell me? And how are they even a mob? They look and act human… _Ian pondered the new information given to him.

"They wanted to protect you." Scuro spoke up in a gentle tone, completely opposite to Luce's fiery temper. "As for what they are… No they aren't a mob, at least not fully."

Ian just stared, so Scuro continued. "Your father was an Enderborn, while your mother was mostly Blaze. Purple eyes and red hair aren't natural, my boy."

"So what does that make me?" Ian asked.

"I'm afraid there's no known answer to that at the moment." Scuro sighed.

"What about my sister? Surely she's the same way." Ian questioned.

"She is. However her powers will lie dormant for the rest of her life." Luce responded.

Ian blinked. "Powers?" Confusion was heavy in his voice.

"Yes, powers. You're a part of something big, boy. It's time for your dormant powers to emerge." Luce spoke, floating closer to him. Scuro stepped forward to join the flaming mob.

Ian instinctively took a step back. "What are you doing?" He asked, going on the defensive once more.

"Relax" Scuro muttered.

"This." Luce spoke at the same time Scuro did.

The Blazes boney hand rested on his chest. Ian cried out from the burning pain. Scuro's clawed, black hand joined Luce's on his chest. Instead of burning, Ian felt a shock. It reminded him of the time he was goofing around in his mother's lab, only on a much larger scale.

They pulled away when Ian thought he was finished. He fell forward onto his knees, not bothering to catch himself with his hands, he then fell forward on his face.

"I think we overdid it." Scuro sighed.

"Nonsense." Luce grinned.

-SSW-

Ian woke up feeling like he was fire. Panting, he noticed he was laying on the floor next to his bed. He tried to get up, only to collapse a second later. He clutched the side of the bed, only then noticing he was shaking like a leaf.

"What in the Nether?" He thought aloud.

After many failed attempts, he finally pulled himself back onto the bed. He lay there, trying to catch his breath. Ian's eyes darted around the room. _I need to get out. Get some fresh air. Yeah that sounds good. _

He struggled to get out of bed. When he completed that small task, he worked his way over to the door. It wasn't as bad as he first thought, he was just a little unbalanced.

Passing by the mirror next to his door his jaw dropped. Ian rushed over, as fast as he could, to the mirror. Everything looked normal, except for the large patch of golden hair on the front of his head. If he wasn't shocked he would have laughed, the hair looked like his father's almost.

Looking closer, he also noticed that he now had small bronze flecks in his eyes, which now glowed. _Hopefully they only glow in the dark… _Ian thought, worriedly.

Deciding to not risk it, he quietly got back in bed. Sadly sleep did not come for the troubled teen that night.


	5. Midnight Conversations

_**So sorry it's short, :P Next chapter will pick up I promise, and I'll make it extra long too(Gonna aim for 2000 words)**_

* * *

Because sleep didn't come for Ian, he gave up with a sigh. Sitting on the edge of his bed he gazed out the window. That… dream was still flooding his mind with thoughts and questions. _Should it even be called a dream? Was it actually real? Or just another strange dream?_

_**Oh it was no dream, Ian… **_Scuro's voice whispered in his head.

_Shit, now I'm going crazy… _He held his head in his hands.

**Maybe you are going crazy, kid. **Luce laughed.

_**Enough, Luce. **_Scuro growled.

**Did we forget to tell you that we can also have friendly chats while your conscious, kid? **Luce continued.

"Enough!" Ian whispered frantically. He didn't want these guys to be constantly talking to him! They'd be a distraction from his normal life!

**Normal? **Luce snorted. **News flash, kid, but you aren't exactly normal.**

"Just let me be…" Ian murmured.

**Your no fun… **Luce whined.

Getting up, Ian grabbed his flying ring. He opened his window and flew away from home. He needed somebody to talk to, he sure as Nether wasn't talking to his parents. After flying for a few minutes, he stopped in front of a window. He tapped the glass a few times and waited. The window opened and Stelle looked out.

"What are you doing here? It's the middle of the night!" She whispered harshly.

"I needed someone to talk to, alright?" Ian responded, crossing his arms.

"Fine. Come inside before you get sick, with you wearing that thin shirt and your pajamas." She sighed and waved him in.

She closed the window and Ian glanced around. The room was simple, painted a dark navy blue. The thing that grabbed his attention the most was the surprisingly accurate stars and constellations on the ceiling.

"Now what-" Stelle began, but stopped when she turned around to look at him.

"What?" He blinked.

"Your eyes… And hair." She trailed off, walking closer. "What happened?"

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about." He sighed.

"I'm listening."

"I had a dream, only it wasn't a dream, it was more like a…" He trailed off, trying to think of how to explain it. After a few seconds he gave up. "Well, whatever it was, there were two mobs there. An Enderman and a Blaze."

"Did they try and kill you?" Stelle asked, interrupting him.

"No. They talked to me and told me of my heritage." Ian glanced over to the wall.

**Psst! Hey! **Luce's voice carried through his head.

_Not now… _He inwardly groaned.

**No, now! **Luce growled.

_**We've finally came up with an idea what to call people like you. **_Scuro spoke.

_And that would be…? _Ian sighed in annoyance.

_**Ender- **_Scuro began.

**Blaze. **Luce finished.

"-llo? Ian, you okay?" Stelle's voice snapped him out of his mental conversation.

"What?" Ian blinked trying to clear his head. "I'm okay, that was them just now."

She just stared, so he explained.

"The Enderman's name was Scuro, while the Blaze's name was Luce. They said that they were a part of my conscious and subconscious mind and they came from my blood. Because they are a part of me, they can speak to me mentally." Ian sighed after his long explanation.

"That last part makes you sound crazy, you do realize that, right?" She asked after a moment of silence.

"Tell me about it." Ian huffed.

"You might want to keep this secret from other people." She advised.

"Hello! My eyes glow in the dark and my hair has a golden patch in it now! I can hide the hair easily enough, but my eyes?" Ian's whispers where slowly getting louder.

"Quiet! Your going to wake my parents." Stelle warned him. He exhaled deeply.

"Okay, okay. I'll calm down, but I don't know how I'm going to do this." He fretted.

"Just… Think of something. Stay out of the dark when other people are around if you have to." She muttered.

Nodding, Ian walked over to the open window. "I should be going now. See ya around, Stelle." He waved.

"Wait!" She stopped him.

He turned around just for his hoodie to be thrown at his face.

"Don't forget that." She smiled, causing Ian to do the same.

Flying away from the house he stared up at the stars. _I have a feeling things are about to be _very_ different after tonight._

**You don't say? **Luce asked with his voice dripping with sarcasm.

_Shut up, Luce. _Ian thought, annoyed at his Blaze half.


	6. Electrocution and Suspicions

_**There! An extra long chapter like I promised! I just want to thank everybody who reviewed, followed, and/or favorited this story.**_

_**Thanks to all the reviewers in the past! I'm going to start to put your name in my chapters!**_

_**Hatedgirl**_

_**LaZ SuperFirecat**_

_**jaketron**_

_**Jman14102**_

_**appleduck**_

_**InfinityGuardien**_

_**Stephaniedz**_

_**Kitty and furry**_

_**Kitty**_

_**wolfprinceIII**_

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"Stronger! Better! Faster!" Luce growled as Ian dodged the fireballs thrown at him.

Scuro blinked behind him and locked him in a hold. He stared frozen in fear of the fireball now heading for him. Blinking away the daze, he grabbed the arms of the Enderman and pulled himself forward.

The fireball scorched the back of Scuro, who let out a roar of pain. Ian regained his balance, just as another fireball barely missed him.

"Good job, Ian." Scuro blinked, then reappeared in front of the teen. Ian doubled over when a punch was delivered to his gut.

Winded, Ian stumbled, gripping the fabric of his jacket. Spitting off to the side he charged. Dunking away from a fireball, Ian barely slowed his pace. Scuro simply teleported away when he aimed for a punch.

"Try harder!" Scuro growled.

The Ender-Blaze didn't notice Luce sneaking up behind him until it was too late. Searing, fiery pain flared up Ian's spine; earning an ear-splitting screech from the young adult.

He collapsed, panting heavily.

"You need more practice, kid." Luce sighed in irritation, just as Ian blacked out.

-SSW-

Sunlight filtered in through the glass pane window in Ian's room. Yawning, he stared up at the ceiling, rubbing his eyes of sleepiness to no avail. He moved to sit up, only to be surprised when he found out there was no soreness.

"How-" Ian began.

**It wasn't real, idiot. **Luce sighed.

"Don't even start today, Luce…" Ian muttered under his breath.

After grabbing a quick breakfast and eating, Ian walked downstairs to his mother's lab. The machines buzzed and hummed all around him, these sounds have always calmed him, like a strange lullaby. He walked up behind his mother and stared at the computer screen as she typed away.

"Whatcha' doin'?" He asked.

"Work." She said with a smile, obviously joking around.

"Ha ha." Ian pretended to laugh, but a smile had wormed it's way onto his face too.

"I'm just working on the usual stuff. Coding, researching, stuff like that." His mother explained.

"Ohh… Cool. Could I do anything?" Ian asked, looking around the lab.

"Well… There is a package downstairs, you can get it for me if you'd like. It'll have a slip of paper labeled 'Experiment 23'." She suggested.

"Sure thing." Ian called, already halfway down the stairs to the lab's basement.

Stepping off the last step he looked around for the package. After wandering through rows and columns of boxes with the occasional invention, he found the right box. Hefting it up he was amazed at how heavy it was.

**Wimp… **Luce scoffed.

_Shut up! _Ian growled in his head.

He walked back through the maze of boxes, lost in thought. He didn't see the stack of metal plates in the floor in front of him because of the large box in his hands blocking his view. Tumbling forward, Ian smashed his head on a machine. His back landed on a pointed piece of metal and he cried out in pain.

The cries were mixed with the sound of falling metal as the box fell to the floor, spilling it's contents out. The machine turned on as Ian was about to sit up off the sharp metal point. Poor Ian didn't notice the exposed wires on his arm as the machine fired volts of electricity.

His back arched as he screamed. The electricity surged through his veins, seeming to drain him of energy and fry him inside out. Crumpling to the ground, he wasn't aware of the footsteps running down the stairs.

"What- IAN!" His mother noticed him on the tiled floor. She ran over and kneeled next to him.

"Mom?" He mumbled, trying to blink away the black that was beginning to crowd his vision.

"I'm here." She moved him away from the cursed metal contraption.

"What's going on?" Ian heard Jane whimper from the stairs.

"Go get your father, dear." His mother told her, quickly turning back to him.

"I feel horrible." Ian muttered bluntly, before slipping away into unconsciousness.

-SSW-

Rythian gazed down upon the boy as he slept soundly in his bed. He had carefully brought him up here after Zoeya had explained what must have happened.

"Damn science…" He cursed under his breath.

"It's all my fault." Zoeya whimpered, walking up behind him. "If I didn't ask him to get something for me…" She sighed.

Rythian pulled her into a hug. "It's not your fault, Zoey…"

"Yes it is." He heard her mumble as she buried her head in his chest.

He lifted her chin with his finger, making her look him in the eye. "No. Just because you asked him to get something for you doesn't mean it's your fault. There was no way you could've known this would happen to Ian."

His little speech earned him a smile from Zoeya. "Thank you." She whispered, leaning in to give him a kiss.

Before there lips met however, Ian groaned. They paused before Zoeya walked over to Ian. Rythian watched as she comforted the aching teen.

"What- Where am I?" Ian bolted upright, wincing horribly afterwards.

Zoeya gently pushed the boy back down. "Relax, Ian. You got electrocuted remember?"

"Oh… Yeah." Realization hit the boys face.

Rythian walked over next to the boy, lost in thought about something he'd noticed. Ruffling the boy's hair he smiled.

"How long has your hair been that way?" He asked, causing Ian to stiffen slightly before quickly relaxing.

_Strange… _Rythian wasn't about to forget that.

He struggled to push away the memories of what caused the blonde patch of hair on his head. The searing pain of getting shocked from a machine gone wrong so early in his life.

"I dyed it yesterday…" Ian trailed off.

Rythian smiled grimly, luckily the mask hid it from view. _Then it wasn't from the shock… Good._

"I like it." Zoeya grinned. "Reminds me of your fathers hair too. Just as handsome, too."

"Mom…" Ian groaned.

"Oh fine… Your no fun." She teased.

Ian stared at the wall behind them, lost in thought. His mouth parted and he whispered under his breath.

"Enough, Luce…"

If not for heightened senses, Rythian wouldn't have heard what he said. _Who's Luce? He wasn't talking to anyone in the room…_

Ian looked back at his mother and smiled. "Can I just get some rest? I'm tired…"

"Sure. I'll check on you later, okay?" Zoeya stood up and walked out of the room.

Rythian stayed behind a little longer. "Ian…"

The purple-eyed young adult looked at him.

He continued. "Just now that if you need to tell us something, no matter what is it, remember that we'll listen. Please come to us if you ever have problems, alright?"

Ian blinked and hesitated. "Alright, dad."

Rythian nodded and left the room. He went off in search of Zoeya, only to find her sitting on their bed. He sat next to her slightly concerned.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

"Just thinking about things…" She sighed.

"Same here… What are you thinking about?" He questioned.

"Things… That aren't important. Like when Teep left and went to live with Lalna. What's on your mind?" Zoeya responded.

"Ian. I feel like he's hiding something from us." Rythian looked at his hands.

"Like what?" The golden-eyed woman asked.

"He didn't dye his hair. I know he didn't. Not only would that mean he dyed it in the middle of the night, but also that he'd have used some of the orange dye. We don't keep dye around the house." The mage rambled.

Rythian looked up at Zoeya, pausing in thought.

"How exactly did you get the gold streak in your hair again?" He asked hesitantly.

"Surely you remember…" She began. Glancing at the doorway, she continued. "You know I'm Blaze."

"Ian muttered something about Luce…" Rythian mused to himself. _Luce in ancient tongue is _light_… I need to research this more._

"I need to find out more." Rythian said getting up. _I hope it's not what I think it is…_

-SSW-

"I came as soon as I heard what happened!" Ian heard Stelle say as he woke up.

Looking towards the source of the noise he saw his best friend, sitting at his bedside. Worried littered her pretty face. _Wait! There it is again… Why am I thinking this stuff about her? She's just a friend… Just a friend._

Upon seeing him awake, Stelle hugged him. He felt her begin to shake, along with a few specks of wetness on his shoulder. Returning the hug, he rubbed her back.

"People who- get shocked- with that much- electricity- normally die." She hiccupped, full on crying now.

Ian couldn't do much besides comfort his friend, so he whispered soothing words in her ear.

"I'm still here… And I'll be here for a lot longer, don't worry." He sighed.

They stayed like that for a few minutes until Stelle had calmed down. Ian expected her to pull away when that happened, however she stayed in his arms. Ian felt a strange comfort in the embrace.

"Do you really think I'm beautiful?" She whispered.

Ian blinked in surprise. _Just a friend… Just a friend…_ His thoughts echoed in his head. His opened his mouth, but nothing came out. He tried again, only to fail a second time. Stelle mistook his hesitation and began to pull away. He desperately reached out for her again, seeking the comfort of the hug once more.

"Of course." Ian smiled, beginning to stand.

Stelle pulled away again and returned the smile.

"Thank you." She murmured.

"Am I interrupting something?" They both turned their heads to see Jane standing in the doorway.

The teen's faces went red. They knew more about what could have possibly happened then the nine-year-old girl.

"No not at all." Stelle quickly replied, followed by an agreement from Ian.

Nodding, Jane turned around and left, muttering something incoherent.

"I just wanted to make sure you were okay." Stelle said, started to walk out of the room. "I should be going now"

"Wait! Would you like to go adventuring with me?" Ian asked, grabbing her hand before quickly dropping it like it was scalding hot.

"Now?" Stelle asked surprised.

"Why not?" Ian grinned.

Grinning, Stelle walked downstairs followed by Ian. They took to the skies, after making sure they had enough fuel to last awhile, and laughed as they goofed around in the air.

Not once was Ian plagued by the heavy thoughts of being an Ender-Blaze, nor did Scuro or Luce bother him. The only thing that mattered was the fun he was having with Stelle.


	7. Caves

**_I'm sorry for the long wait! But I had suffered from a long bout of writers block with this story, along with me having to take frequent breaks from this. It may seem choppy and the story might move a bit too fast, I'm sorry._**

**_Time for the new reviewers, thank you guys who reviewed, both new readers and old ones._**

**_ZoethianFangurl12_**

**_The Shapeshifter writerartist_**

**_and the two guest reviewers_**

* * *

Rythian leafed through page after page, looked through book after book, and barely found any leads to what he was after. Maybe I can't find it in a book… He mused.

Sighing he placed the book back in the shelf and ran his fingers through his hair. I don't even know if it's possible… He thought back to what happened only hours before. Luce… He stared off, deep in thought. Without much thought, he grabbed a book titled _Folklore and Legends_.

"Luce… Luce… Luce…" The mage muttered as he scanned through the pages. "Aha!" The man stopped suddenly, finding what he was searching for.

_Luce- Name translated by the mage Fray, means light in common tongue. Luce is a powerful being said to reside in the minds of a Blaze; their gender, appearance, and personality all depends on the person's mind in which they live. Usually tends to be male, along with having a strict and 'fiery' personality._

The Enderborn paused after reading the paragraph, absorbing all the new information. I knew Zoey was a Blaze, and I assumed Ian was too… But why is this merely surfacing itself now?

The thoughts were cut off when he felt as if someone was watching him. Rythian turned around, only to be met with nothing. He let the matter drop… for now.

-SSW-

Ian grinned at the tailed girl walked beside him. Instead of flying back home, they had opted to stick to the ground, wanting to spend more time with each other.

Stelle was laughing at a joke he had made a few seconds prior. It filled him with joy when he made her happy. His grin faltered as the Ender-Blaze realized that night had fallen without them noticing. This fact surprised him.

The amber-eyed teen grew weary. Idiot! Why didn't I think of bringing a sword with us? Turning to his companion, he got her attention. "We should probably start flying now, Stell."

He tried activating his Swiftwolf's Rending Gale, only for it to fail a second later. Glancing to Stelle, the boy saw she was having the same problem. Maybe my Klein Star is low on power, not good. Ian checked the said item, only to notice it was gone.

"Did you take my Klein Star, Stelle?" He questioned.

"I was about to ask you the same thing…" Was the only reply he got from the girl, before she stared off in puzzlement.

"This isn't good…" The red-haired male sighed. "I don't have any weapons on me, I'm such an idiot."

"It's okay, we can stay in a cave somewhere until morning." Stelle suggested, eyes already searching for a suitable place to hide away. "Over there!" Her sudden outburst, along with her pointing her finger in a direction, had startled Ian slightly.

"Okay, let's go before any monsters find us." Ian half walked, half dragged his friend behind him.

Once in the cave, he walked to the very back in order to make sure nothing would sneak up on them. That was all they needed… After returning to the front, he saw that Stelle was huddled against the wall, rubbing her arms viciously. A slight glow was cast upon the rock walls from a torch, probably placed by the girl a few feet away.

The Ender-Blaze knew that a torch wasn't a good source of heat, and it would probably get cold that night. Maybe I should start a fire… Question is, how? During his thinking, he had joined the Axonz Halfling in leaning against the rocky surface.

"I can't believe we didn't bring _anything_." The boy berated himself.

"We also weren't planning on staying out this long." Stelle added, giving him a small smile.

"If your cold, you can have my jacket. Would that be okay with you?" Ian asked, not wanting to make things awkward. Only when the blue-eyed girl nodded did he take off his jacket. With a simple 'Here', he handed it over to her.

"You sure you don't want to keep this?" She questioned, hesitantly putting on the warm clothing.

"Nah, it's fine. I'll try and start a fire though, you can go ahead and get some sleep." The mage's son sounded.

Because this was Luce's area of expertise, he tried him first. Luce? You there? I need a little help here…

**Whaddya want, kid?**

I just wanted to know how to start a fire, me being a Blaze and all… I was just wondering if-

**If you could throw fireballs? That takes practice, kid. Anyways, why would you need a fire? You have the blood of a fiery-Nether-being after all, you're basically immune to the cold and heat.**

I have enough time, and my friend is cold. I don't want her to get sick, it is drawing nearer to winter after all.

**Fine… If that girl means so much to you. Sadly, you won't be able to throw fireballs just yet. I can make you hotter in body temperature though. It's actually a very simple thing to do.**

I'll take what I can get, I guess.

**First you'll need to clear your head, then imagine you're in the Nether. With the lava and fire all around you, calling you to it like a moth to a flame. No pun intended.**

Doing as he was instructed, Ian felt something close to nostalgia as he thought of the flaming place, as well as an increase in temperature. Is that it…? He asked, shocked at the simplicity this little skill had.

**Basically… You can make your temperature rise and fall at will, as long as you have a clear mind. And if you've been away from the Nether for too long, your skills can weaken.**

Yeah, okay… The teen sighed, practicing the new, however small it was, ability. His concentration was broken by something curling into his side. Quickly glancing down, the boy already knew what it was. Stelle had apparently fallen asleep, and seemed to be drawn to the heat source that was now Ian.

Not wanting to wake her up, the purple-eyed Ender-Blaze shifted slightly, making it more comfortable for the both of them. They were still in danger from any wandering mobs, so he stayed awake the entire night, focusing on keeping Stelle warm and comfortable.

-SSW-

A brown-haired girl awoke to see nothing but a field of purple. Realizing that the sea of purple was actually a shirt, and that she was curled around her best friend, she almost jumped away. Almost. She kind of liked the feeling of being so close to the other teen, and the said teen seemed to be radiating warmth in the cold morning.

Stelle could faintly hear his heart beat while her head was buried into his chest. Her tail was snugly wrapped around his waist, it didn't even hurt that he was lying on it. In contrast, his arm was lazily draped over her side, almost as if it was begging her to stay close. Not knowing what to do, she just stayed like that.

An unknown amount of time had passed before she felt Ian wake up. Unlike her, he actually did jump away.

"Ah! Shit, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to- I thought I could stay awake all night, I'm just glad nothing hurt us…" He cried out, before settling and staring down at his feet.

"It's fine, Ian." She grinned, hoping that her daring moves wouldn't go to waste. "I actually kind of liked waking up next to you." This caused the boy to blush and look away.

"We should probably get going…" He replied simply, before getting to his feet and exiting the cave. Not a single look was cast behind him to make sure she was following.

Dang it! She blew it. She has rushed into it and now he'll never like her. In fact, only a couple days ago had she realized how much Ian meant to her. With him almost dying, it absolutely terrified her. Now because of her rash decisions, she blew it.

"Ian, wait!" Stelle called out, chasing after the blob of red hair that had gained some distance from her. "I'm sorry! I didn't know what I was thinking when I said that."

By now he had stopped and turned to look at her. Instead of what she expecting, he merely shrugged and continued to walk. "Why are you sorry? I'm not mad at you or anything… I kind of liked waking up next to you too."

Relief flooded through her bones, almost causing her to collapse. "Is that so? Maybe we should cuddle more often." She smirked, earning yet another blush from her partner.

"I… would like that." Ian smiled, slowly reaching for her hand.

She gladly accepted the gesture, closing her own hand around his. Maybe she did have a good chance with this, after all.


End file.
